Nigeria’s embattled Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, could have easily bought an Eclipse 500 private jet with the whopping $1.6 million (about N255 million) used to buy her two BMW bullet-proof cars, investigations have revealed.

Although most private jets cost between $3.5 million and $25 million, with the larger ones like the Boeing Business Jet gulping as much as $100 million, an Eclipse 500 private jet goes for between $1.5 million and $2 million, according to Controller, a general aviation trade publication in America.

With the two outrageously over priced cars, Oduah could have also bought at least five presidential limousines used by United States President, Barack Obama, at the cost of $300,000 each.

Each of the two bullet-proof BMW 760 Li cars bought for Oduah by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, is also more expensive than the car used by British Prime Minister, David Cameron.

Oduah could have also bought as many as 1231 cars, the type used by Uruguayan President, Jose Mujica, who drives a 1987 Volkswagen Beetle worth $1,300.

With a monthly salary of about $13,000, Oduah would have been able to pay Mujica’s salaries for 127 months or approximately 10 years.

The world’s poorest president would have certainly found the gift preposterous and would have certainly given out most of it to others as he does with his monthly salary.

He has refused to move to the official presidential residence, opting to stay in the simple home of his senator wife on the outskirts of the capital, Montevideo.

At an exchange rate of N155 to $1, the N255 million Odua used to buy the two cars would have conveniently establsihed eight cottage clinics of N30 million each, or fund sinking of 50 boreholes in a country where only 17 percent of its over 160 million people have access to pipe-borne water, according to a UNDP report.

And with a minimum wage in Nigeria at N18,000 or about $118, Oduah could have paid the monthly salaries of 13559 people.

Besides, had the prices of the cars not been inflated, Oduah would be able to save about N195 million of taxpayers’ money.

Since the revelations last Tuesday of the purchase of the expensive cars in August, Nigerians have expressed outrage and calls for Oduah’s sack have become strident.

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Barrister Femi Falana, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for an investigation to be opened. Falana threatened to go to court if nothing is done.

Many anti-corruption crusaders have called for the arrest and prosecution of Oduah.

Debo Adeniran, Chairman, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, said the recent plane crash and serious incidents could be attributed to incompetence and gargantuan corruption.

However, instead of addressing issues of corruption, mismanagement and breach of public trust, Oduah was said to have declared war on Nicholas Edwards, the alleged whistle-blower who allegedly leaked information to the media.

The minister set up a panel on Friday, headed by the Director of Consumer Protection at the NCAA, Adamu Abdullahi to probe the leaked information.

Analysts have said the panel is an exercise in futility since the information leaked is true. They asked Oduah to do the right thing and step down.

SaharaReporters, an online news medium, had on 15 October published documents that exposed how the cash-strapped NCAA had in August this year bought two bullet-proof BMW cars for Stella Oduah at the whopping sum of $1.6 million or N255 million.

Shortly after the article was published, Yakubu Dati, spokesperson of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, who often speaks for Stella Oduah, rejected the allegations, claiming that the minister was too rich to request or accept car gifts from the NCAA.

By Wednesday, Oduah had instructed Joe Obi, her media aide, to own up to the purchase of the cars. Obi claimed the cars were purchased because Oduah faced imminent threats from some people who did not like her so-called transformation agenda in the aviation sector.

The explanation triggered more condemnation and outrage and calls for her sack multiplied.

By last Friday, Fola Akinkuotu, NCAA Director General, explained at a hurriedly arranged press conference that the cars were not bought for the minister of aviation but rather were purchased to move around foreign dignitaries when they visit the agency.

Akinkuotu told journalists he would show them where the cars were parked at the end of the press conference. But when the event ended, the NCAA boss did not show proof of any car. Reports have said the transaction was only on paper as no car was actually delivered.

With more negative reports being published on daily basis, especially on the social media, reports have said that Oduah has approached Reno Omokri, Jonathan’s aide on social media, for help and counter any negative publication.

It was also reported that the embattled minister has commenced a last ditch effort to save her job. It was learnt that she had used the last few days seeking private audience with President Jonathan.

On Friday, Oduah was sighted at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, as calls for her sack persisted.

If actually those cars was purchase on such amount, odua should peacefully resign or be put to shame, what a wickedness yet nigeria don't have money. What a means of wasiting our economy. I thought a woman would have make a positive change.

This is a tip of Iceberg of what is happening in Government MDAs. Misappropriation and mismanagent have become a culture. What baffles me is that these people go to Churches and mosques. They hear word of God that Covetousness is a grave sin. Jesus pointed out in luke 12:15, 'Beware of covetousness for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses'. And again what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and looses his soul.We need to have a true conversion of hearts. Nigerians are religious but hearts are not circumcised.God has blessed this Nation with enormous resources but mismanagement by the few individuals has made the poverty index to be at maximum. There is nothing like 'pity' and 'mercy' in the Dictionary of our so called leaders. They do not even have compassion on the masses.

NE stop sensationalism this incredulous scandal. You will best serve the masses by printing what is being done to correct the situation and the pen-ultimate deterrents put in place.We know its a lot of money!!!!!!Are we going to recover it? How or what is she and her aides going to forfeit? What happens to the money if recovered? With all this goings on, have we kept our eye off the ball again? Since this scandal has aviation safety and welfare been improved? Etc.

Abeg leave this woman alone jo.anyway robbery na serious crime.she has brought shame to her generation nd the unborn grandchildren she is stealing the money for.what am I saying,GEJ wl give her state pardon later .

Abeg leave this woman alone jo.anyway robbery na serious crime.she has brought shame to her generation nd the unborn grandchildren she is stealing the money for.what am I saying,GEJ wl give her state pardon later .

Why deos GEJ continue to feign ignorance of this preposterous excesses of this cabinet member? Why has he not issued her sack letter. So it was easy for him to query festus odimegu who spoke the truth about the anormally in 2006 census than this thief?

This self styled Princess has no shame or dignity befitting a true Princess. If these terrible deeds had been reviled and became public knowledge in a truly democratic and civilised Western Country the Minister would have fallen on his sword failing which the President or Prime minister would have sacked her /him forthwith. But this is Nigeria populated by thieves, corrupt and greedy politicians and officials and inept and stupid Parliamentarians and President.The country is full of idiots giving silly titles like Dame, Princess, Prince, Arc, Eng, Lawyer etcThe Press should know better and stop using these stupid titles pre or after their names. It has come to the point where children of Village elders or chiefs are now calling themselves Prince or Princess! NIGERIA TRULY NEEDS A PEOPLES REVOLUTION TO WEED OUT THESE PARASITES

But we should first of all find out if even underwent any training regarding her job function. Perhaps she was not properly oriented. She. Just came and saw herself in a pool of naira and dollars and doesn't know what to do and suddenly realised she has no BMW and decided to buy some with the lots of money she saw around her. I think its high time youths be given opportunity in this country. Let all those old men and women should go home and rest. Period !

Abeg o....be like say na only me see sometin for dat story abeg...she was said to have liased with d d Special Adviser to Jona on "Social Media"...I'm sure I didn't read it wrong...SPECIAL ADVISER ON SOCIAL MEDIA....jonathan is truly fucked...he's d most useless n corrupt president we've ever had..SA on SOCIAL MEDIA???!!!!...HAAA

You press men should stop making money out of situations like this,when it happens like this all of you report the issue from different perspectives,but never tells us what happens after all. If the press is not Involved in all these corrupt practices,why don't they find out what happened to the Farouk-Otedola case and tell us? The Abacha loots should be followed up,we need to know how the ones recovered so far are being used. When they bring to our knowledge certain things,they should also follow up & carry us along.....Chris